1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording apparatus which records on a recording sheet, and more particularly, to a recording apparatus which includes a detachable sheet-material feeding unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
A portable printer having the shape shown in FIG. 10 has been proposed as a transportable recording apparatus. The printer may, for example, be used in a horizontal state or in a vertical state, and is relatively small in size.
In FIG. 10, reference numeral 50 represents the above-described portable printer. When the printer 50 is not used, an outer cover 50b is superposed above an inner cover 50a. Thus, the printer 50 becomes so compact that the user can carry it in a dedicated bag. Hence, such a printer has excellent transportability and portability.
As shown in FIG. 11, the printer 50 incorporates a recording unit comprising a recording head 51 for performing recording on a recording sheet S, a platen roller 52 for conveying the recording sheet S while supporting it, and a discharging unit comprising a discharging roller 53 having a circumferential speed slightly higher than that of the platen roller 52, and a spur 54 which is rotatingly driven by the discharging roller 53.
The printer 50 also includes a detachable automatic sheet feeder 55 for automatically feeding the recording sheets S, serving as sheet materials.
The recording sheets S set in the automatic sheet feeder 55 are individually separated by a pickup roller 56, and each of the separated sheets S is conveyed in an obliquely upward direction toward the recording unit of the printer 80. Recording is performed on the recording sheet S conveyed between the recording head 51 and the platen roller 52, which constitute the recording unit. Recording head 51 records while the recording sheet S is supported by the platen roller 52. The recording sheet S is then discharged onto the outer cover 50b, which also serves as a discharge tray, by the discharging roller 53 and the spur 54.
However, in the above-described conventional printer having the configuration shown in FIG. 11, since the recording unit, comprising the recording head 51 and the platen roller 52, and the discharging unit, comprising the discharging roller 53 and the spur 54, are disposed in an inclined state, the size of the printer increases, whereby transportability which is the greatest advantage of such a printer is impaired.
For the purpose of providing a small apparatus, a printer having the configuration shown in FIG. 12 has been proposed. In FIG. 12 the same reference numerals as used in FIGS. 10 and 11 correspond to the same components. In such a printer 50, the above-described recording unit and discharging unit are disposed so as to be substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface of the printer. Hence, when the recording sheet S is fed from the automatic sheet feeder 55 to the printer 50, the recording sheet S is curved with a steep angle, and is therefore apt to have a peculiar habit of being curled. In addition, since after a recording operation, the recording sheet S is discharged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface of the apparatus, the discharged recording sheet S cannot be stacked on the outer cover 50b.